Rio Grande - Alamosa River Watershed Restoration_Application

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. . . Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form Form Revised May 2007 farms. Though the Terrace Irrigation Company stores water from the Alamosa River watershed, depleting the water supply in winter months, the river is essential to the livelihood of the adjacent community of Capulin (pop. 565) and especially for agricultural use servicing over 50,000 acres of watershed lands. Improvements in the current and previous (complete) project reach will service an estimated 30,000 acres of agricultural area including about 200 landowners and 27 ditch companies. 2007 presents a rare opportunity to leverage SB179 funds as part of a required 1:1 match for NRD funding from Summitville Mine reparations. The RC&D/ARWRF NRD proposal for $500,000 for the current project phase has been reviewed and approved preliminarily pending matching funds confirmation, scoring 278/300 (ranking 2nd highest). The 100% match will be composed of funds from CDPHE (319) and SB179. The application to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has approved the 319 application for $396,000 to address sedimentation in the Alamosa River, which will form the bulk of the match to NRD when approved by the EPA. The $104,000 SB179 request will complete the cash match required for the NRD funding. In preparing the river for seasonal and ultimately year-round flow, this phase of river restoration complements the current Alamosa Riverkeepers' rrerrace Irrigation Company In-stream Flow project, which will conduct hydrologic modeling, site surveys, and mapping of Terrace Reservoir for spillway rejuvenation towards returning flow to the Alamosa River. Thus, the complete 5.5-mile Alamosa River Restoration project is part of a larger effort to return life to the river and the riparian corridor as a healthy eco-system year 'round with benefits to wildlife and plant species as well as to human use for agriculture. (See also organizational chart on p. 24.) Problems to be Addressed The sediment problems in the Alamosa River are clear through even casual observation of the quantity of eroding stream bank that results in excess sediment in the stream system and the in-channel deposition of eroded material. The key source of the sediment problem is erosion chiefly due to previous man-made alterations to the river channel, resulting in the loss of the river's natural structure, healthy bank and riparian vegetation, and fish habitat. Ongoing erosion/deposition processes create a negative feedback loop as eroded stream bank material forms in-channel depositional features that in turn force flow against the banks increasing erosion. Without direct intervention, this ongoing process will likely continue. Restoring the health of the river and its corridor by stabilizing the river banks and bed to reduce excess sediment and improve water quality and delivery are the current phase's primary goals. 15,000 linear feet of stream channel will be rehabilitated, giving riparian vegetation opportunities to reestablish. Benefits will include sediment reduction with achievements documented through post-restoration monitoring. Meander pattem, normal geomorphological cross section geometry, floodplain connection and function, and riverbank and -bed stability will be improved. The regrowth of the natural riparian corridor habitat, the re-appearance of native species such as willows, thin-leafed alder, and migratory and native birds are additional successes to be tracked. The measures outlined in question 5 will improve water quality and availability for public and agricultural use and for wildlife habitat. Sediment reduction measures will ensure the long-lasting effects of the restoration project. The saturation of the riverbanks will substantially improve the recharge to the local aquifer. Beyond the importance of stabilizing the riparian ecosystem, the quality and availability of water from the Alamosa River is vital to the sustainability and future of the greater Capulin community and surrounding agricultural region. In addition, potential for flooding in Capulin will be addressed through the restoration of the use of the historic floodplain. 10